Perak

Perak is situated along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and covers an area of 21,000 sq km. Meaning silver in Malay, it was so named as the state is home to the Kinta Valley, which once contained the world’s richest tin deposits, drawing visitors from around the globe.

Today, it captivates hearts with its intriguing cave temples, thriving virgin rainforests, delicious varieties of cuisine and of course, the renowned Pangkor Laut Resort. Its capital city is Ipoh, the City of Bougainvillaea.

Zoo Taiping & Night Safari – Over 180 local and exotic wildlife species can be observed at the 34-acre Taiping Zoo. The country’s first zoo, it features orang-utans, Malaysian Tigers, siamangs and many more in open-air enclosures with natural settings. The Night Safari includes a mini train ride that takes you through various parts of the zoo where you can watch nocturnal animals in action – feeding, hunting or just being playful. The lively chirpings of night creatures add to the exciting atmosphere.

Gua Tempurung – One of the largest limestone caves in Peninsular Malaysia, Gua Tempurung stretches over a kilometre from Sungai Siput to Kuala Dipang and is made up of five domes with coconut shell-like ceilings. Discover the beauty of nature as you explore its interior, admiring impressive stalactites as well as stalagmites and experiencing other unusual cave phenomena. You can select from various guided tours according to your preferences and level of fitness. This cave is in Gopeng, just 24km south of Ipoh. A 15 minutes’ drive away is the Kampar River, a popular destination for white-water rafting.

Kuala Sepetang Recreational Park – Make a point to visit the Kuala Sepetang Recreational Forest – the best managed mangrove forest in the country. An area of rich biodiversity, it shelters teeming species of trees, birds, fish and other aquatic life unique to the mangrove forest. Mangrove tree species such as the bakau minyak and bakau kurap thrive here and are commonly used to make charcoal. Some local factories still employ traditional methods to produce this substance.